Title: Imprinted On The Soul

Genre: Angst, General

Rating: PG-13

Challenge: 15 minute fics inspired by the word broken

Author Note: Takes places this year 2004 making JJ about 57 years old.

JJ laid awake under the pale blue sheets listening to the owl conversate to itself.  His wife of 35 years was fast asleep and by the look on her face all was peaceful in her valley of dreams and hidden desires.  He thought of taking medicine to copy her actions, but there was no point.  Nothing helped him anymore.  Whenever he closed his eyes and sank from reality the pictures he witnessed in the war all those years ago were there waiting.  The faces of those he killed, the fires, friends lost and separated it never left him alone.

JJ for years was able to ignore the message imprinted on the soul that read the words of uselessness, failure, and a sense of emptiness.  His parents and siblings thought he was a great hero, why disappoint?  Beth helped him to heal, listened to his tears and screams without question.  Soon that faded out, and for three decades he actually felt human again.  Than the reality of war was thrown at him with such force he became broken into a thousand pieces.

His son was dead.  Killed doing what his father and grandfather had successfully done before him.  JJ didn't know the details; he heard them, now words held no substance for him. It was just a reminder of the horror and thme realization all the fighters he killed had families that grieved too.